Deborah Akinyosoye
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has suspended the enforcement of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act, 1991, following growing public pressure and intervention by the Nigerian Bar Association.
The suspension was announced in a statement on Thursday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin.
The decision followed a Monday meeting between Egbetokun and an NBA delegation led by its President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Hundeyin claimed that there was no subsisting court order halting enforcement but said the police opted to suspend the exercise “out of consideration for the interest of Nigerians and regard for the Nigerian Bar Association,” pending the hearing of a motion on notice scheduled for October 16, 2025, at the Federal High Court, Warri, Delta State.
“The Nigeria Police Force, while noting that there is no clear court order stopping the enforcement of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act, 1991, has, out of consideration for Nigerians, temporarily suspended the enforcement pending the outcome of the case,” Hundeyin said.
To strengthen cooperation, he added that a joint Police–NBA committee had been inaugurated to enhance collaboration between both institutions.
He urged motorists to use the suspension period to regularise their documentation and comply with all laws regulating the use of shaded or tinted vehicle glasses.
Egbetokun reiterated the commitment of the Force to enforce laws “with fairness, transparency, and respect for citizens’ rights,” while maintaining effective collaboration with the Bar and other stakeholders.
The NBA officer leading the court case, Olakunle Edun (SAN), had confirmed that the restraining order had been served on the police since Monday.
The development follows an order by the Federal High Court, Warri, in Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/103/2025, John Aikpokpo-Martins v. Inspector-General of Police & Nigeria Police Force, directing the police to suspend enforcement of the tinted glass permits pending the determination of the substantive case.
Despite the order, reports earlier indicated that police officers in some states, including Cross River, continued to impound vehicles and demand tinted glass permits from motorists. Some victims alleged extortion and harassment.
In Calabar, a journalist, John Osakwe, recounted how officers stopped him, accused him of using tinted glass, and demanded a ₦30,000 permit fee before releasing his car. Another resident, Edem Udofia, said his commercial bus was impounded over factory-fitted glass.
Legal experts, including Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mba Ukweni, criticised the police for defying the court’s directive.
“The court has restrained the police from impounding vehicles or harassing drivers over tinted glasses. The police must comply with that order,” Ukweni said.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Josephine Adeh, confirmed the suspension of enforcement in an interview with AIT. She said the Force had now officially received the court order and would maintain the status quo until the case is decided.
Adeh also clarified that payments for tinted glass permits are made online and remitted to the government’s Treasury Single Account, not collected by officers.
“The registration and payment processes are fully digital. Policemen only verify documents to ensure motorists have the proper permit,” she explained.
The police’s decision to suspend enforcement comes amid widespread criticism and allegations of extortion against officers enforcing the controversial tinted glass law.